Yesterday I’d gone to a dress shop to look at clothes. I saw countless pretty outfits there and told Luden about the experience.

I was still in awe.

“They were really beautiful.”

“How beautiful were they?”

“This much!”

I stretched my arms out wide. The dress I saw yesterday was so pretty that I’d agonized over it, then went to buy it this morning only to find it had already been sold.

Luden fell into thought. For a moment, I panicked.

“I’m not asking you to buy it. Oh, by the way, I’m going to meet a designer in a few days. I’ll wear clothes made in that design next time.”

After the Jiton incident, I’d become close with people. Even without Luden, I had someone to go meet designers with.

“Is that so?”

At my words, Luden drank his tea with his usual unreadable, expressionless face.

“I wish you’d gone to the shop with me though.”

Why was he suddenly saying this?

“Just going on restaurant dates is nice, but you seem to like shopping too, Annelia.”

“You want to do more of what I like?”

“Something like that.”

Hmm, then I had nothing to say.

“And I’m comfortable when I’m with you, Annelia. …Because you’re an honest person.”

It seemed he was finally starting to trust me. An engagement ring was on his hand. It was also sparkling on mine.

“In that spirit, I’ll pay today.”

I grabbed the receipt.

“What?”

“You mooch off me today, Luden!”

The money Luden had given me was absolutely enormous anyway. I was still far from spending it all.

“But.”

His expression changed.

‘Is this such a big deal?’

I tilted my head.

“I never even thought of this situation.”

“Sometimes I’ll pay. The money you gave me is rotting away.”

“Buy what you want to buy, Annelia.”

“I’m already buying everything.”

I glared at him.

“That money exists because you kept testing me. It’s thanks to you, so I want to spend it on you too.”

At my words, Luden’s face flushed. He quickly bowed his head. Seeing him like that, I grinned too.

Luden was starting to feel like a younger sibling.

“Let’s go look at the lake later.”

I really liked the lake Luden had taken me to before.

“Understood.”

Luden nodded. Meeting with Luden had now become something enjoyable. It was nice to meet him once a week, eat meat, and grow closer to him as his fiancée.

* * *

Several months had passed since I’d possessed Annelia. I was spending the hot late spring.

‘It’s summer now.’

The weather was too hot as summer approached. There was a temperature regulator, but it wasn’t as cool as air conditioning. It was only slightly cooler than a fan. Though I supposed even that was something.

“It’s hot!”

I thought about the clothes I was wearing. From neck to feet, everything was covered, hiding my skin.

Of course it was hot like this! I drank cold water.

It would have been terrible without even this. The fortunate thing was that there were items enchanted with cooling magic. Holding the cooling device, I smiled at the cold sensation.

“The one at Luden’s house was cool though.”

What was at Luden’s house was a temperature regulator with better performance than what we had at home. It wasn’t quite air conditioning either, but it was reasonably cool.

I wanted to ask for a replacement, but temperature regulators were such expensive items that I hesitated to mention it to Caromiel. And since I’d soon hold the engagement ceremony, get married right away, and leave the house, I couldn’t ask him to buy one even more.

Luden hoped to marry in autumn. I had no complaints about that either.

However, when I suggested just having a wedding without an engagement ceremony, Caromiel and Luden opposed it, so we ended up deciding to have the engagement ceremony too. I felt guilty for seemingly wasting money.

‘On days like this, going to a valley to play would be perfect.’

I thought that while drinking cold water again. Didn’t the ducal family have a villa at a valley?

As I was searching my memories, I heard a knock.

“Come in.”

Then Lella entered.

“Miss, an invitation has arrived.”

“An invitation?”

At the mention of an invitation, I quickly stood up. I walked over and opened it.

“Luna Ellios.”

She was the daughter of the Marquis Ellios family. She’d revealed herself as a relative of a young lady I’d become close with at the tea party I’d held last time, and she’d sent me an invitation.

The content was simple. Since the weather was extremely hot, let’s gather with suitable people and go play at a valley.

Luna said there was a pretty valley her family managed, and since there was a villa there, we could play together.

“Great!”

I’d been thinking I wanted to play at a valley anyway, and an invitation arrived at just the right time. But it was almost the day I’d arranged to meet Luden. Should I let him know I’d be going to play with Luna?

We’d been meeting diligently lately, so not meeting for about a week should be fine, right? I thought that and wrote him a letter. Saying this week’s meeting probably wouldn’t work out.

* * *

Just like Annelia was struggling with the heat, Luden was also suffering from it. It seemed hotter than last year. Worried his mother might be exhausted by the heat, he’d replaced the temperature regulator with the latest model this time.

And he’d replaced his own too. He was particularly sensitive to heat, so even the temperature regulator wasn’t enough—he was drinking water from a cooling device.

‘Whew.’

The engagement ceremony preparations were almost done. Now the wedding preparations were the problem.

About three months remained until his wedding with Annelia. The duke and he were preparing it directly. Annelia just had to look things over and give permission.

Since Annelia wasn’t particularly picky about choosing things, work progressed reasonably quickly. And they’d meet in a few days.

Living constantly tense was hard, but meeting Annelia made him comfortable. Was it because she said she wanted nothing from him? When he was with her, his tension eased a little.

What had been a formal meeting was becoming a necessary one for him. At the sound of knocking on the door, he looked up from drinking water.

“Come in.”

At his words, his attendant Anten opened the door and entered.

“What is it?”

“A letter has arrived.”

“Bring it.”

At Luden’s words, Anten brought the letter. The letter was placed in front of him, and Luden immediately noticed it was from Annelia.

She wouldn’t send a letter unless it was something special. He opened the envelope. Then a note with round handwriting saying she’d probably be going to play at a valley this week came out.

“A valley?”

Then he wouldn’t be able to meet her this week. Thinking that, his chest suddenly tightened. He felt anxious. His heart constricted at the feeling that his only resting sanctuary was disappearing.

He should just let her go for now. He couldn’t stop her from going to the valley. He had no justification. But his heart was beating anxiously.

‘Really.’

He hadn’t known he was this weak. It was only not seeing her for a week, yet he couldn’t endure it and was acting out.

He clicked his tongue. It seemed he needed to find a way to resolve this situation.

As I’d expected, Luden sent a reply saying it was fine and to have a good trip. On the day of the trip, I went to the Ellios family estate. People from other families had already gathered at the Ellios estate.

Most were from marquis, count, and duke families. Luna seemed to have wide connections. So it seemed she’d sent invitations to play at the valley everywhere.

Moreover, everyone except me had come in pairs.

‘Should I have brought Luden?’

I should have asked him to come along. I just hadn’t asked because it seemed he was maintaining formal meetings.

‘And.’

I shouldn’t get too close to him. He wasn’t my man but the female lead’s man.

‘He won’t love me.’

I deliberately ignored my sinking mood and waved at Luna.

“Hello!”

“Lady Rosaline!”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

‘With this many people…’

It seemed to be roughly ten people.

“Since it’s our family’s villa, you can follow our family’s carriage.”

“Yes!”

“Then please follow carefully.”

I just needed to follow behind the others. The coachman would follow well.

I got in the carriage and waited to depart. As the carriage started moving, I quickly looked outside.

This was the first time leaving the capital. When I opened the window, a cool breeze blew.

‘Hehe.’

This world had monsters. But they didn’t appear in areas where humans lived.

Other species lived here, but they didn’t associate closely with humans. So I just needed to be careful of humans.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve gone to play.’

Actually, even when I’d lived in Korea, I hadn’t traveled often. My heart pounded.

“It would have been nice if Luden came too.”

Riding in the carriage alone made Luden’s absence feel even larger. I should tell Lella, who was riding in the carriage behind, to come here later. I thought that and smiled quietly.

For now, I planned to read the book I’d brought in advance.

* * *

Luden looked at the clock. Seeing him like that, Andre chuckled.

“Stop looking at the clock.”

Then Luden turned his gaze to Andre. His eyes were saying many things.

“Time isn’t passing.”

“I suppose not.”

Andre chuckled. After receiving Annelia’s letter, Luden had been checking the clock much more frequently.

She’d said playing at the valley and returning would take about five days. So he planned to meet her six days later. She needed to rest for about a day too.

Like that, calculating when Annelia wouldn’t refuse a meeting with the excuse of being tired, he was waiting for the timing to send her a letter…

Time was passing too slowly.

“Why don’t you just go too?”

At Andre’s words, Luden frowned. It wasn’t easy. If he acted on his feelings, who knew what accusations his relatives might make. That’s why he was deliberately enduring what he wanted to do.

“The flowers are a waste.”

He’d personally chosen flowers to give her when they met this time. This beautiful bouquet was supposed to be in Annelia’s hands today.

“It can’t be helped.”

Luden said that and shrugged his shoulders. At his reaction, Andre clutched his chest in frustration.

“The Luna Ellios family made a reservation at the Charlot Hotel.”

Then Luden’s eyes wavered.

“Then…?”

“Right. Lady Rosaline will be staying there.”

At his words, Luden pondered. Honestly, even if he wanted to follow, he had no justification. Since she hadn’t invited him, he couldn’t follow. But to think she’d be staying at the Charlot Hotel…

“How about it? Now you have an excuse, right?”

At Andre’s words, Luden nodded. Quite some time had passed since Annelia departed. So he needed to leave quickly to catch up.

As he stood up to prepare, Andre smiled quietly. He’d investigated just in case, and it had helped Luden.

“But you know.”

Watching Luden pack, Andre asked.

“Aren’t you going to confess to Lady Rosaline?”

“Confess what?”

“That you like her.”

Then Luden frowned. It was true he had feelings for Annelia. But a confession?

“It’s a feeling that will disappear when the situation changes.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”